Method of making fiber sheets.



UNITED srarns PATENT oriuon.

LEWIS N. JZQNES, 0F ELSMERE, DELAWARE.

METHOD OF.MAKING FIBER SHEETS.

No Drawing.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Lrwrs- N. Joxns, a citizen of the United States, residing in Elsmere, Delaware, have invented certain Improvements in Methods of Making Fiber Sheets, of which the following is a specification.

In the manufacture of the substance commonly known as vulcanized fiber, it is customary to form sheets of any desired'thickness by pressing together a suitable number of relatively thin layers of paper one over the other, after they have been immersed in a bath of some material which parchmentizes or gelatinizes their substance, it

being usually customary to wind and com-- press upon a heated drum a suitable number of layers of the treated paper, and after the removal of the sheet thus formed, subjecting it'to a treatment whereby all'traces of the chemical with which it was treated are removed. In order to strip the laminated cy-- lindrical body of treated paper from the roll, it is cut in a line substantially parallel with its axis and spread out flat, being thereafter soaked in water to permit of the removal and recovery of the chemical which it still contains, and finally dried. During the washing and drying process, a large proportion of the thick sheets formed are found to split to a greater or less degree, so that it is a common occurrence for sheets of one to two inches thickness to be rendered practically valueless .by a separation of their layers, which begins at the edges and extends into and through the body for a greater or less distance.

One object of my invention, therefore, is to provide a method of treatment whereby thissplitting or separation of the laminations of thick vulcanized fiber she'ets during their manufacture shall be effectually prevented. In carrying out my invention, a sheet of the desired thickness is formed by the superposition of any suitable number of layers of paper, fabric or the like immediately after it has been subjected to a so-called vulcaniz-' ing bath, such as a solution of hydrochloric acid and chlorid of zinc, the various layers being forced into intimate contact and subjected to heat. Thereafter, each laminated or composite sheet of the fiber is subjected, either immediately or at the end of any desired time, to one or more washing baths,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January as, 1914.

Patented Sept. 8, 1914. Serial No. 815,053.

being preferably first immersed 'in atank of cold water for a time depending upon its thickness, and thereafter removed to a tank of heated water. At any desired time durlng this washing step, and preferably just after it has been subjected to the washing in cold Water, I bevel the edges of the sheet, that is, I cut them preferably at an angle of forty-five degrees to the plane of the sl1eet,- both at the ends and at the sides thereof. Thereafter, the sheet is subjected to the Washing or soaking out treatment in hot Water and at the propertime, depend? ing upon its thickness, is dried in the cus tomary manner. As a result of this beveling of the edges of the treated sheets after they have been initially formed and before they are dry, I have found that the splitting or separation of the layers, even of the thickest sheets made, is effectually prevented.

While the cuts constituting this beveling are preferably made at an angle of fortyfive degrees to the plane of the sheet, this angle may be varied in either direction, without departing from my invention, although I have found that when the sheets are left with their edges perpendicular to their planes, a splitting or-separation occurs ---in a great majority of cases.

While I preferably bevel the edges just before the sheets are subjected to soaking out in hot water, since at this time they are most easily cut, it is obvious that the beveling may be done at any stage in the manufacture of the sheets after their fOrmation and before drying, without departing from my invention.

I claim 1. The method which consists in the formation of a laminated sheet of parchmentized material; washing said sheet to remove the chemicals therein; and thereafter drying the sheet, the edges of said sheet being beveled at some time between its formation and the drying operation. v

2. The method which consists in superposinga series of layers of parchmentized paper to form a laminated sheet;-washin'g said I sheet to remove the chemicals therefrom; beveling the edges of the sheet; and thereafter drying the sheet. A

3. The method which consists in forming a laminated sheet of parchmentized fibrous material; subjecting said sheet to a plurality of Washing operations to remove the chemicals therefrom; heveling the edges of the sheet between two of the Washing operations; and thereafter drying the sheet.

4:. The method which consists in chemi- 5 cally treating vegetable fiber in sheet form to vulcanize the same; forming a sheet from a series of layers of said chemically treated material; Washing said sheet to remove the chemicals therefrom; heveling the edges of the sheet; and thereafter drying the sheet.

5. The method which consists in forming a cylinder of layers of parchmentized paper; cutting said cylinder parallel with itsaxis to form a laminated sheet; Washing said sheet to remove the chemicals therefrom;

beveling the edges of the sheet; and drying the sheet.

6. The method which consists in forming a laminated sheet of a series of layers of paper which have been subjected to a bath con.

taining chlorid of zinc; Washing said lamiment; and drying the 11 llgllh ltd nated sheet to remove the chlorid of zinc; beveling the edges of the sheet; and drying the sheet.

7. The method which consists in forming a laminated sheet of parchmentized paper; Washing said (sheet in cold Water; beveling the edges of the sheet; Washing the sheet in hot Water; and drying the sheet.

8. The method which consists in forming.

LEWTS N. JONES Witnesses:

WILLIAM E. BRADLEY, VVMuA. BARR. 

